“And what areyouexactly?” the big Guardian asked.
“Mindin’ me own business, that’s what,” she replied. “Yer ruinin’ the taste of me cheap whiskey. Now that’s a feat, that is. Bugger off down the bar, would ya?”
The other Guardians joined the first as a large shape ducked through the doorway. Phil walked in with a hardhat, a construction worker vest, and a kilt, his garb for blending into Dicks and Janes when he went to the bar. Ulric had no idea why he was wearing it now. He surveyed the scene before his hair puffed up and his gums pulled back from his teeth in a snarl.
He rushed toward the Guardians. Startled, John pushed to standing, the stool he was sitting on toppling over. Aurora reached out, fast as lightning to grab John and keep him put while Phil grabbed the large gargoyle at the other end and lifted him into the air.
“I am here to keep the peace,” Phil growled in the gargoyle’s face. “Mind your manners.”
Phil turned, almost lazily, and tossed the large Guardian through the open door. The Guardian cursed as he flew through the air and then grunted when he landed outside. Tires squealed as a car veered to miss the tumbling gargoyle.
“Oops!” Ulric’s mom walked in a moment later with her hair done in a tight curl, her nails painted pink to match her cloth pantsuit, and a smile on her face.
Ulric groaned.
“Hello, everyone!” she said. “Hello! I was just on the way to chat with your amazing new leader. Isn’t he something?”
She took Phil’s arm and led him closer to the bar.
“No, dear.” She patted Edgar’s shoulder. “No, no. You don’t belong there. Everyone will lose their desire to drink. You’re much better off being a wallflower, don’t you agree?”
Edgar stood dutifully. “Yes, I’ve always thought so.”
“Yes, there you go.” She bustled him out of the way. “Now, here we are. That’s lovely. There now.” She helped Phil sit down. Sebastian leaned away from the basajaun.
“What are ye doing?” Niamh shoved Sebastian back. “Ye’re after climbing into me lap.”
“First Edgar and now Phil.” Sebastian swallowed. “My bowels feel a little loose.”
“Well, don’t shite yerself right there,” Niamh hollered. It was impossible to tell if she was serious or if she was putting on a show to better diffuse the situation. Probably the latter. “What, do ye need someone to wipe yer arse for ya? Feck off to the bathroom.”
“Yes, that’s a good idea.” Patty practically yanked Sebastian to standing. “Go find the restroom. It’s just there at the back. Hello, boys!” She shoved Sebastian out of the way and walked up to the Guardians. The one Phil had tossed out the door had not returned, presumably having decided it unwise to go up against a basajaun. “I don’t think I got all your names.” She didn’t now, either, rushing on in a tumble of words. “Evan is so amazing, isn’t he? He has all your interests in the forefront of his mind. That’s what you really need after the last one, isn’t it?” She ushered them back down to their drinks. “He’s planning new play structures for the kids, raids for the Guardians—he’s really got his finger on the pulse of the community.”
Another large shape loomed in the doorway, and Tristan walked in with a swagger no one could match. His eyes glowed and his shoulders were rolled forward, as though he was ready for a brawl. His gaze scanned the bar, taking in the two groups,one in the back, and Niamh’s crew at the front. Lastly, his gaze found Edgar, who had slipped behind a fake plant in a corner.
“Well, anyway, I better not dawdle.” Patty tapped the arm of one of the Guardians. “I don’t want to keep Evan waiting. Oh, Tristan, hello.” She stepped away from the others and beamed at him. “Great to see you again! It feels likeages. Don’t you worry, the gargoyles back home are training just as hard as ever. There were a few territory breaches from aggressive shifters, but they were handled, no problem. I need to give all the details to the alphas. Anyway, I must run.”
She paused and leaned a little closer to him, lowering her voice. Given that no one else was speaking, having been shocked mute, every word could be heard.
“All any of the garhettees can talk about is you coming to stay. Word got out that you grabbed a garhette at the Gimerel raid—they think it was one of us and not Nessa. That was the only person you’ve ever snapped up, right? Well, now the rumor is circulating that you are finally looking to settle down. The unattainable bachelor is finally within reach. I thought I would warn you. You know how garhettes can get. Push-y.” She winked before waving down to Ulric and the others. “Chat soon! Olly, I’ll stop by later.”
Tristan’s hard gaze hit the Guardians, and they wilted slightly, quietly retaking their places at the bar. Phil had probably scared them, Patty had distracted them, and Tristan had ended the moment.
“What just happened?” John said on a release of breath, taking his seat again. He seemed a little shaky. Adrenaline probably.
Aurora grinned. “Jessie’s crew happened. Organized chaos. I told you how well they work together, even when they don’t really want to, like Sebastian in this instance.”
A few women entered the bar, the only ones beside Ulric’s crew, their gazes immediately finding Tristan. One of them turned red as they found a table. Leaning their heads together, they giggled. They were clearly here for him, just like Ulric’s mom had said.
Sebastian stopped to speak, his face pale. “Did it work?” he whispered, the cape still hanging down his back. The Guardians kept glancing over at it, pissed but trying not to show it in front of Tristan. Clearly, they were wary of him. “Did we rile them up like she planned?”
“Oh, yeah.” Jasper nodded adamantly. “The Guardian that got tossed out on his ass is going to be embarrassed he didn’t fight back. He’ll funnel that into rage. The others will feel similarly since they are letting Tristan cow them. Tonight, when they are pounding beers and licking their wounds, they’ll forget how much power Tristan and Phil have, and everything will start to boil. They’ll want a battle.”
“They definitely will.” Ulric grinned. “Then you have those capes, and Fred comparing them to wings, which is a slap in the face for their egos. Nessa’s rudeness—they’re going to tell all the other Guardians. They’re going to be itching to teach us a lesson for throwing our weight around intheircairn. It sounds like they think we beat Gimerel because of Gimerel’s disorganization, not because we are that good.”
“And in the end, it was all succinctly shut down without a fight.” John shook his head. “You were right, Training Wheels. I didn’t believe it, but you were right.”
“Yeah.” Sebastian let out a gush of air. “I think I’m going to sneak out the back.”
